Monday, April 29, 2013

Since I started working out at CrossFit, I have been faced with my limitations. My coach does a fantastic job of "managing them" and honestly, I've made so much progress, I usually focus on that and the limitation doesn't bother me. However, tonight I was excited to do "back box squats" with the olympic bar (45lbs) and, for the first time, 2 10lb weight added to the bar!!! YEAH!! I was ecstatic!

However, the bar on my back put my shoulders in such a stretch that it made it painful (and not in a good way)... I met a unexpected limitation - an invisible wall... my shoulder mobility sucks..

I'm not sure why it hit me so hard but it did. I have other limitations that we work around all the time... like Burpees are modified.. etc. Usually the modifications are related to my weight... but this limitation?? it wasn't about my weight it was about my INACTIVITY... It just hit me weird.. and reminds me that I just *think* I know my limitations... I just *think* I know how carrying all this weight around for years has impacted me... but...

I
Have
No
Idea

That got me thinking about limitations... we all have them.. some we know about.. and some sneak up on us and surprise us - like this shoulder mobility thing... just as I have a good stride going an invisible wall pops up and SMASH! So, now what? Do I just accept it.. and eliminate back squats from my repertoire?.. uh... yeah.. no.. that ain't happenin'

So, I've accepted that I have this mobility issue... and now I have about 5 stretches to do to work on it.. and I will do them.. religiously.. and I will defy the limit.. I'm not messin' with you when I say CrossFit is hard.. I mean hard... but I love pushing my limits.. and seeing those limitations move... so, I've discovered another limit... and I will push until I'm through it... it's hard work, yeah.. but I'm building mental toughness...

1. the ability to recognize a problem... not ignore it and injure myself...
2. the discipline to come up with a plan to overcome the limitation and then DO IT
3. the mental toughness to acknowledge, deal with it but not let it impact everything else

How do you deal with limitations??

I can't wait to report back on my next set of back squats.. hopefully, I'll be griping about how bad my legs were burning (which is what's supposed to happen!)..

"1. the ability to recognize a problem... not ignore it and injure myself.."

Very wise! I wish I had a dollar for every blog or post on SparkPeople that details some "training injury" that could have been avoided if the person had taken the time to warm up/work up to the task they were trying to perform. Running in bad shoes. Pushing through actual pain, not simply discomfort. Working out with an undiagnosed injury, which then generally gets worse and puts them out of commission for weeks. Oy!

I'm not suggesting that this method will work for everyone, or is even a good idea, but I basically ignore any limitations. I figure I can do anything I want to, and then I try to determine out how to get there. if you want to squat heavy, there are some things you need to do to get there - the stretches and whatever else the coach tells you. I don't pay attention if I'm stiff or if I don't feel all that well, or if some aspect of life becomes incredibly inconvenient and difficult to manage. It's not a conscious thing, even - I just do what I think needs to be done to get me back in a happy, sustainable place.

Honestly, I think there are two approaches to life: focus on limits or focus on strengths. Some people believe that focusing on limits is being "realistic" - well, I've never said that my hold on reality was especially strong. When Life takes a good swipe at you, you can either laugh or you can cry. Sometimes you have to cry for a while, I admit, but ultimately laughter is the way to go.

I don't care a lot about money, but I seem to have overshot that position a little and now I'm dead broke. But instead of getting all crazy about it, I got a job or two, did some other stuff, and soon solvency will be mine again. I'm not bragging here, just using it as an example.

It may well be a physiologicl/genetic predisposition, but just as a genetic predisposition to being heavy doesn't doom you to fathood forever, a focus on the negative aspects can be changed by learning and attention as well.

Just my opinion - not trying to stir up controversy or ring my own bell (my bell is so cracked, I know better LOLOL)

Incidentally, griping is half the fun of working out and perhaps life in general - doesn't mean that we really *mean it* :)